Press Release

Michigan Municipal League Statement on New Report from Responsible Retirement Reform for Local Government Task Force 2017

LANSING, Michigan – The Michigan Municipal League today said a work group aimed at providing a comprehensive plan to substantially improve the ability of communities to address municipal fiscal stresses has failed to reach the League’s goals.

“The League was hopeful that this work would have culminated in a real solution that would address what we believe to be one of the biggest threats we are facing at the local level. We strived to form a plan that balanced a desire to reduce costs while maintaining a quality work force. Regrettably, this report falls short of these goals,” said Anthony Minghine, Chief Operating Officer of the Michigan Municipal League and a participant in the group, which included officials from the Snyder administration, labor leaders and others.

“The report is, however, reflective of the group’s discussion and limited consensus that we reached, and for that reason we appear as a signatory on the report,” Minghine said.

The League had pressed for additional authority for cities to address employee retirement issues, most importantly the rising cost of health care benefits for retirees, which are a major burden on cities that have seen state revenue sharing cut and property tax growth limited by state actions over the last 15 years.

“From the League’s perspective, we are still desirous of working toward thoughtful and meaningful reforms consistent with our previously provided policy statements. We think that failing to address this issue at the state level will compromise our collective futures. However, we intend to build on the conversations that this task force started by pursuing reform moving forward. We fully intend to continue our advocacy work to try and provide a meaningful solution to this problem,” Minghine said.

About the League: Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.